CO129-413 - Governor Sir May - 1914 [8-10] — Page 172

L

SECRET.

GOVERNMENT HOUSE.

HONGKONG.

28th August, 1914.

170

10

Sir,

78650/03

of State to Governor Secret of 30 May, 1903.

5643256868

ernor to Secy of State Becret of 1 August, 1903.

35761.

With reference to the correspondence noted in the

margin, I have the honour to inform you that

the question of the better regulation and con- trol of the large number of natives of India who are in private employment in this Colony as watchmen for the protection of warehouses and other premises has recently engaged my attention owing to the difficulties in connection with suppressing undesirable political propaganda at the Sikh Temple here which formed the subject of correspondence ending with my confidential despatch of the 30th July, 1914.

2.

The number of private Indian watchmen in Hongkong is about 300. The large majority of them have found their way to the Far East at their own expense in search of employment. A small proportion of them are ex Policeman dismissed from the Hongkong Police Force and from the Police Forces of Treaty Ports in China. This is the least undesirable element among the watch- men for ex Policemen are as a rule of a fairly good class and having been trained to discipline are less irresponsible. The majority referred to above comprises many undesirable men of a class that does not find employment in the Police Forces referred

to.

In 1910 I made a small beginning in the control of these watchmen by allowing Police Officers on duty to supervise those watchmen whose employers consented to such supervision.

THE RIGHT HONOURABLE

LEWIS HARCOURT, M.P.,

&C..

&c.,

80.